The Worst Christmas
by TheRealXenocide
Summary: COMPLETE. Two Chapters. Set during Harry's 7th year. Harry retreats to a corner during a Christmas Party, and Tonks goes seeking an explaination. She, and the others, get more than they ever could have expected.
1. Chapter 1

The Worst Christmas  
by TheRealXenocide

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, the book series of that name, or anything related to it. I am not making any money off of this story. This is a story written just for fun.

Note: This is my response to the December story challenge from the group formerly known as PinkHairGreenEyes. I'll not give the new group's name here, as the old group was deleted by Yahoo without good reason, and I don't want to give the $$ who filed that complaint a roadmap to our new home.

Yes, I know I'm a bit late with this. But I have good, family related reasons.

Challenge Details - December Story Challenge: A "Harry" Christmas

Any rating and no word count limit.

It's the Christmas hols, but Harry isn't spending it anywhere he has before (during the holiday). Things are tense and he's unsure if he's going to make it through to the new year. Tonks isn't sure how to handle this latest development, but she's going to try.

Required phrases in a story:

"That's what you meant"

"There's only one way you're getting out of this"

-

And now, the story.

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"Wotcher, Harry. Having fun?"

Harry looked up at Tonks as she approached. The look on her face showed the same expression of concern that most of The Order had been giving him, which caused him to groan. He'd specifically chosen this corner of the room to try to avoid everyone pitying him, and who should find him but the person he least wanted to be pitied by.

Normally, he liked being the center of her attention. She was one of the few Order members who hadn't managed to hack him off in the year-and-a-half since Sirius died. When Harry told a gathering of Order members what the prophecy said, she was the first to suggest that Harry should be directly involved in Order meetings. She even withstood a rant from Molly without changing her position. She'd earned his respect and friendship. That was part of the reason why seeing that look from her was more of a kick in the gut than it was from the others.

"Oh, yeah, I'm having a great time." He answered in an obviously sarcastic tone. As much as he liked her, right now he didn't want anyone near him. Yet, he was surprised to notice a small part of himself wishing she'd ignore his rudeness and stay.

She gave a single, half snort chuckle. "You should know by now that tone doesn't work on me. Bunch over." She'd barely given him time to react before moving to sit with him on the quarter-circle bench that Harry was on. "Look around you, Harry." As she said that, she swept her arm to indicate the whole room. Harry couldn't help but notice that she'd kept her arm low and tight to her body, as if trying to avoid attention. He felt a bit of gratitude for that. "They're all trying to enjoy themselves."

Harry did glace around the room. It was the drawing room of Malfoy Manor. Draco, the last Malfoy alive and supposed enemy of Lord Voldemort since summer before sixth year, had invited most of the Order of the Phoenix and the D.A. to his manor for a group Christmas celebration. Of course, not everyone could make it. But enough did to make the secondary purpose, a large meeting to get the two groups better coordinated, still practical.

Harry thought for a moment, then decided. "You want to know what I see?" To his surprise, she actually had to think about that for a moment. Then, with what he could only describe as a nervous expression, she nodded. "Over there," he nodded to indicate the far left from the corner they were sitting in. "I see our host for the evening, Draco Malfoy, talking to Dumbledore, who seems to think we should all trust Draco. And why? Because Draco killed his father after Lucius killed his mother on Voldemort's orders, orders first given to Draco." He shook his head in disbelief. "I'm I the only one who sees that if he'd been assigned to the other death-eater job that day he probably wouldn't have given a damn?"

Tonks shook slightly, remembering that Voldemort had ordered two deaths after the Department of Mysteries. In addition to several blasts of the cruciatus curse, he decided to use Bellatrix Lestrange to teach everyone else a lesson in the price of failure. He ordered the deaths of her sisters, Narcissa Malfoy and Andromeda Tonks. Tonks had been there, and still had nightmares about that day. Andromeda was hosting an outdoor party to honor a newlywed couple, the bride being the only daughter of her closest school friend. A dozen death-eaters, led by Bellatrix, crashed to party. Enough of the party goers fought back to keep it from being a massacre, but not enough to make them run without a fight. When they were finally driven away, three Death-Eaters lay stunned or otherwise unconscious. However, they had succeeded in their task. There were four dead from the party. Andromeda, her husband Ted, one of the bride's best friends, and the young bride herself. Tonks lost her mother and her father in the attack.

Sadly, it was the young bride's death that reunited the Weasley family. She was Penelope Clearwater-Weasley, wife of less than a month to Percy. Still deeply hurt by his father's words during there last argument, Percy couldn't bring himself to tell his family that he'd finally proposed to Penny, nor invite them to the wedding. In his grief, however, he couldn't refuse his mother's comfort.

"I think you're half right, Harry." Tonks finally answered. "He probably would have gone to kill my mum. But when he found out what happened to his mum, he would have reacted like he did. You haven't known him as long as I have. He was always a rotten little brat, but his one true soft spot was his mum." Harry's doubt must have shown. "Some of the cousins wondered if Lucius was the only Malfoy male she took to her bed." Harry snorted at that. "But it wasn't like that. In a home and family that had been about nothing but power for generations, those two loved each other as a family should. THAT'S why they stuck out, and it's why Draco went against everything he'd ever believed when they killed her."

"Maybe. But I have a hard time trusting him."

"Is he the only problem today, Harry?"

Harry gave a derisive snort. "Hardly. Moving a little to the right, we come to a trio featuring two of my three ex-girlfriends. First we have Luna, who must have finally gone around the twist judging by the way she's looking at Draco." Tonks tried to bury a snicker. "Then there's Ginny, and I still have no idea what I was thinking there."

"Ginny's a nice girl." Tonks cut in.

"She's too much like the twins. It was like dating George." Tonks snorted. "And finally there's Ginny's current boyfriend, Neville. I hope he realizes what he's in for."

"He's stronger than he looks. Besides, I think he's got bigger problems from the brothers, don't you?"

"After the way she tore into them about their treatment of Dean, they've been too scared to interfere." He turned his head slightly. "Over there by the fireplace, we see Ron and Hermione, my two best friends since first year, who are now officially engaged. Mrs. Weasley still doesn't approve, but she hasn't dared say anything to them since the day they announced it."

"I've never seen anything like it. One of Molly's boys actually fought back."

In Harry's opinion, 'fought back' was sorely understating it. "I still can't believe she could have misread him like that. If she'd just kept her tirade to him, he'd probably just stood there and taken it as always. But she just had to start in on Hermione." He shook his head. "Did she really not know how madly protective he is of her?"

"Don't tell anyone, but I had my wand ready to stun him near the end."

Harry looked sideways at Tonks. "You weren't the only one." Her eyebrows arched, but he went on. "I'm glad Hermione and Mr. Weasley were able to step in. They probably saved that family."

"Speaking of lovely couples," Tonks cut in, obviously trying to cheer things up, "over on the other side of the fireplace are Dean and Padma."

"Yes, let's talk about them. Dean broke up with Ginny after the skirmish we had with the Death Eaters outside Hogsmeade end of last school year. During said skirmish, he sees Padma take what he believes is a fatal blow from Dolohov's organ cutting spell. He then kills Dolohov with Gryffindor's sword, which he unconsciously summoned. The battle's still going, and I lose track of them at that point until after the Order shows up and the Death Eater leave."

"They weren't hard to find then." Tonks remembered. "His cries could be heard halfway across the village. I'm sure I even saw water in Moody's real eye when we found them."

"It didn't stop him from putting Dean in a total body bind."

"It was the only way to shut him up long enough to tell him that she was alive."

"But her spine's so messed up that she may never walk again. Not even magic has helped."

Tonks couldn't help but notice that Harry seemed even more depressed than before when he spoke of Padma's injury. "It doesn't seem to have shaken Dean's feelings."

"Of course not. He's not to blame for it."

Tonks threw her hands into the air. "Bloody hell, Harry, not this again." She looked him dead in the eyes. "I thought you'd gotten past that. YOU did not hurt Padma or anybody else that's been hurt or killed by them. Not Dennis, not Penny, not my mum and dad, not Sirius, and not Cedric. None of them are your fault. Damn it Harry, you KNOW this already." That's when it came to her, and she spoke much gentler to him. "What's brought this back, Harry?" He tried not to let it show on his face, which only made it all the more obvious. "You've seen something, haven't you?" She knew that Harry's Occlumency was good enough to keep Voldemort's attacks out. But thanks to the scar, he still saw about one or two visions a month that Voldemort didn't know he was broadcasting. This only happened when Voldemort's emotions were particularly strong, and it always left Harry drained. How is it they hadn't seen it before?

Harry looked like he was debating something. "He's launching a new offensive New Year's Eve, and it's because of me."

"Harry, don't say that."

"He's going to attack the people he thinks will cause me to come out where he can face me. And he knows the trump card to play."

"Harry, you know Dumbledore's been expecting something like this. Just tell him, and he'll get everyone to safety."

"No, he can't. Voldemort will threaten everyone. But he'll send almost everything, including himself, after one person. The one he knows I'd sacrifice everything and everyone to protect. Even myself."

The tone in Harry's voice shocked her as much as his words did. "Harry, who . . ."

"I have to go." Harry said as he stood abruptly.

Harry's sudden movement was noticed by many in the room. His speedy walk toward the exit gained more attention, as did Tonks pursuit. "Harry, stop. Damn it, Harry, you need to OOF!"

She was cut off when she collided with something. Something she quickly realized was Harry. "What the HELL did you do?!?" Harry asked her, now blazing with anger.

"I didn't do any thing."

"It was us, Harry." Fred cut in. He flinched when Harry looked at him.

"We weren't trying for you, mate," George continued, "you just walked under there at the wrong time."

"What are you . . ."

George interrupted Harry. "Look up, Harry." Both Harry and Tonks looked. There, hanging in the doorway, was a large piece of mistletoe. "We were trying to catch Ginny and Neville, and . . ."

"WHAT?!?" Ginny cried out in outrage.

"You can skin us for interfering later, Ginny." Fred cut her off. "Right now, we need to get Harry and Tonks out of it."

"And how do we get out of this, boys." Tonks asked, clearly aggravated.

"Well, there's only one way you're getting out of this." Fred answered.

"It is mistletoe, after all." George added.

Tonks closed her eyes in disbelief. Remus spoke before anybody else. "They have to kiss each other to break the spell. That's what you meant, isn't it?"

Everyone looked at Fred and George. "Right in one." They said in unison.

Tonks stood there for a moment, then sighed in resignation. Turning to face Harry, she said. "Well, at least those two idiots kept you from storming off." It wasn't until she finished that sentence that she saw how badly Harry was shaking.

Before she could react, Dumbledore spoke. "What's wrong, Harry?"

"No. No, I can't."

Remus came and grabbed Harry's shoulders. "Harry, please tell me. There has to be more to this than . . . what you told me over that bottle of Fire Whiskey."

Molly looked like she wanted to say something to Remus about Harry drinking, but held her tongue at a look from Albus.

"He's coming, Remus." Harry's voice was shaking, but understandable. "New Year's Eve, he coming for everyone I care about. But it's all fake, all but one." Harry looked Remus straight in the eyes. "He KNOWS, Remus." The shock on the man's face made it clear he knew what Harry meant. "I don't know how, but he knows."

Before Harry could react to stop it, Remus quickly gathered Harry in an embrace. "I won't let it happen again, Harry. Trust me, trust all of us. It WILL be different this time."

Dumbledore, who had been watching the exchange carefully, finally spoke. "We will, of course, have to put some protection on the false targets. But I offer you the full resources of the Order in protecting the real target, Harry." Harry's eyes met Dumbledore's. Harry felt sure that the older wizard knew exactly who that was, despite the fact that Harry hadn't said a name yet.

"The D.A. will be with you too, Harry." Ron spoke up. He and Hermione had come to an agreement that Hermione would second Harry in training and recruitment, and Ron would in battle and planning. "I mean, most of the fake targets are probably D.A. anyway, so it should be easy enough to put together." Ron had blamed himself for not foreseeing the trap that became the battle that killed Dennis Creevey and paralyzed Padma Patil. Harry was glad that Ron was allowing himself to think of strategies again.

"Before we can plan anything, Ronald," Professor McGonagall interrupted, "Harry and Tonks will have to . . . break the spell." With the large number of Weasleys around, Professor McGonagall decided that it would be more practical to refer to them by their given names. But only their FULL given names, much to Ginevra's dislike.

"I can't. I just can't." Harry said softly.

"What, am I that ugly?"

Before Harry could answer, Dumbledore spoke. "Harry, please look at me." He tried not to, but did anyway. "You, more than anyone else, should know the potential cost of secrets. Particularly secrets where somebody's life may be at stake."

Seeing Harry deflate in defeat, Tonks turned to Dumbledore. "Would you mind telling me what that's supposed . . ."

She was cut off by Harry, who surprised her with a quick, but firm kiss on the lips. "It means," Harry began, "that it's you." Tonks saw a tear rolling down his check, with more threatening to join it. "Voldemort knows that you're the one I'd sacrifice everything to save. He knows I'd die to stop him killing you. He knows I'd die if I lost you."

Tonks eyes grew wider with every word. "Bloody hell." She finally managed. "Harry, are you saying what I think you're saying?"

Harry nodded. "I love you. Voldemort knows. And for that, he's coming to kill you." Before anyone could respond, Harry turned and walked, slowly, out of the room.

It took a moment for anyone to speak. Finally, Luna's voice cut the silence. "Go to him." For once, she sounded like she knew where she was.

Tonks snapped out of her daze upon Luna's voice. "You're the one who seems to always know what to say. You should go."

Luna smiled her usual serene smile. "Thank you, but it isn't really my place this time, is it?"

"Tonks." She turned to the new speaker, only realizing after she turned that it was Molly Weasley. Her dread upon this discovery was tempered when she recognized the look on Molly's face. It was the one reserved for moments of greatest worry. "He can't be alone like this, and you two need to talk. Go to him. Please."

"We can begin some of the planning without you two, as I believe Ronald is already doing." Dumbledore said, causing Ron's ears to turn red. "You will not be disturbed," he said those least three words in a commanding voice, then returned to normal tones, "so take whatever time you need."

Tonks was amazed. Harry's surrogate mother and surrogate grandfather had both effectively given her a blank check to do whatever she felt necessary to help Harry. "Thank you." Not able to make herself say more, she turned and sprinted toward the only place she could imagine Harry would go.


	2. Chapter 2

The Worst Christmas  
by TheRealXenocide

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, the book series of that name, or anything related to it. I am not making any money off of this story. This is a story written just for fun.

Note: Based on some of my reviews, I think I need to clarify something. This story is NOT the start of a long, sprawling epic. It's just a "moment in time" fic. However, it is also a kind of sneak preview at a much larger fic that I do plan on writing.

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Chapter 2

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Tonks had guessed that Harry would retreat either to his guest room or the small practice Quidditch pitch in the courtyard, but she didn't find him in either place. Instead, she found his invisibility cloak in his room, and Seamus and Lavender near the pitch. Deciding that it wasn't her place to interrupt their lovemaking, she moved on in her search for Harry.

Her next idea for where Harry might be wasn't as much a 'where' as a 'what', and it would make it a bit more difficult to find him. She knew that Harry tended to wander when he needed to think. She recalled the story of how, after Sirius died, Harry had wandered the halls of Hogwarts. It was in one of those wandering that he ran across Luna. His conversation with her did more for him than anything else that had been tried, and was the spark that starting their dating during most of Harry's sixth year. It also solidified a habit for Harry of taking to his legs when he needed to think and couldn't fly.

That left Tonks with a problem, though. Walking around the halls of Malfoy Manor in the hopes of bumping into him didn't seem like a good idea. The place was big enough on the outside, but the various magical enlargements it had undergone thought the centuries had made the inside immense. She could literally walk for weeks and never see him.

"If only Moody had made it tonight, I could ask him to use his magical eye." Tonks grumbled to herself.

"Is you be addressing Dobby, miss?"

Tonks spun around, wand out, at the voice that had startled her. When she realized who it was, she lowered her wand. "Sorry about that, Dobby, but you surprised me."

"I is very sorry, miss. Dobby never meant to surprise the great Harry Potter's friend."

Tonks couldn't help but smile. She could just see Harry's face if he'd heard his small friend call him great again. Then something came to her. "Dobby, why are you here?" The elf started to slouch, which she'd learned from being around him during summers at Grimmauld Place was his reaction when he thought a witch or wizard was upset with him, so she tried to reassure him. "I'm sorry, but from all I'd heard about the way the Malfoy's treated you, I never would have expected you to come back."

"The headmaster Dumbledore asked Dobby if he'd like to come with Harry Potter, to help him avoid the bad places in this house, miss. Dobby came, of course. Too many bad, dark things here. But Dobby still knows this house, so Dobby is keeping Harry Potter safe."

A couple of ideas came to Tonks when she heard that. "Dobby, do you know where Harry is right now?"

"Yes, miss."

"Can you take me to him?"

To her surprise, the elf shook his head. "Harry Potter is upset, miss. He likes to be walking alone when he is like this."

Tonks wondered for a moment how to phrase this so Dobby would want to help her. "Dobby, I know why Harry's upset. He had a bad vision about Voldemort." When Dobby flinched, it occurred to her that she didn't anymore. "Harry thinks that Voldemort's going to try to kill me to get to him." The look on Dobby's face left Tonks with little doubt that he already knew about Harry's feelings. "He also told me that he loves me. But you already knew that, didn't you?"

"Yes, miss. Dobby was helping Harry Potter's friends give him a party for his birthday. Harry Potter had too much drinking, and said things he didn't want to have said."

"Dobby, That's why I need to talk to Harry. Will you take me to him?"

Dobby had to think for a moment. "Dobby will do it, miss." He took her hand in his. "It is best if you is holding your breath, miss." Tonks wasn't sure what he meant by that, but knew he wouldn't say it without meaning it. So she held her breath as asked. A second later, she wasn't where she had been.

-----

Harry was watching the clear night sky thought the window in the study he'd wandered into when he heard the 'pop' that meant that a house-elf had just arrived. And, as far as Harry knew, there was only one house-elf here tonight. His friend and 'mother hen', Dobby. "Hello, Dobby."

"Wotcher, Harry."

Harry spun around at the familiar, and very unexpected, greeting. "Tonks!?!" His voice cracked as he said that, and his cheeks reddened slightly.

"Dobby is leaving you two . . ."

"Wait, please." Tonks interrupted. "Dobby, would you do me a big favor. It just might help everyone stay alive."

Dobby's eyes seemed to somehow grow larger than their normal. "How is Dobby doing that, miss?"

"Go to Hermione. Tell her that I said we're already in a fortress, then start telling her how much you know about this house."

"It will not be easy, miss. But Dobby is a free elf. He will do what he can to help Harry Potter and his lady." With that, he vanished in a pop.

When Tonks turned to face Harry again, she couldn't read his face. "My lady?"

"He wouldn't bring me at first, so I told him a short version of what happened."

"Oh."

"It seems he already knew."

"How could he know?!? I never told him."

"He was helping with that birthday party, Harry." Harry winced. "Just how many people knew this before I did?"

He didn't hear any anger in her voice. Something inside him told him he should tell her. "The twins decided that I needed a different kind of 'coming-of-age' party than what Molly had planned, and scheduled it for the Saturday after my birthday. They got most of the D.A. to come to the party, along with Remus." Tonks looked surprised by that. "But most of them had left by the time I was too drunk to stop myself from saying that. I think it was just the twins, Remus, Seamus, and Justin left."

"Wait a minute." Tonks said. "The twins knew? Weren't you still dating Ginny?"

"Yeah, but they knew it was all but over already. Besides, they didn't want to risk her fury. When she told them not to interfere, she meant in ANY way."

Tonks shook her head, then decided to get back to what she came here for. "Harry, why didn't you tell me before?"

Harry looked at her like she'd gone mad. "Are you serious? Scrawny little seventeen-year-old me is supposed to go up to a woman seven years older than I am and just tell her I love her. And not just any woman, but a gorgeous woman whom I need to work with AND whom I consider as much my friend as Ron and Hermione."

"Yeah, well, when you put it like that." Tonks said, trying to catch the dry side of his wit. When she saw she'd missed, she moved on. "Harry, I know you well enough to know when to take you seriously. We can't go back and change it, but I want you to understand that you can trust me with things. Things as big as this."

Harry looked her straight in the eyes. "What would you have said?"

"Haven't a clue. But I know what I'm going to say right now." She led him to where a couple of chairs were close to each other, and sat down. When he took the hint and sat, she continued. "Harry, I'm going to be completely honest, but I need you to let me finish before you say anything."

Harry couldn't help noticing the change in her tone. The normal lightheartedness was almost gone, replaced by a seriousness that he didn't generally ascribe to her. This, more than anything else, decided Harry's answer. "Of course."

"Until you said that, I honestly hadn't let myself think about you like that. Not because of you, but because I always figured I needed somebody older than me. As Remus says, somebody to settle me down. And before you ask, I haven't felt more than friendship for Remus since a crush when I was eight. But while I was looking for you, I started thinking about it. What I've come up with is this. Most of the things I've been looking for in an older guy, you have. In many ways, you're far more mature than your age. Yet, in others, you're still a youngster. While you're not the classic hunk, you're far more handsome than you give yourself credit for. You're one of the best friends I've ever had. And mum used to tell me that when I married, it should be to a friend that I also loved." Harry's face showed his surprise when she said the word married. "I'm just saying what mum said. After all, you've seen Ron and Hermione." Harry nodded. "I know it doesn't always work out that way, but it can. I guess what I'm getting at is this. I don't know if I love you yet, but our friendship is the closest thing I've ever known. I'd like to find out if it could be more. If you're willing, I'd like to start dating you."

"Wh - what? Dating? Tonks, Voldemort's coming to kill us, and you're talking about dating?"

"If you're going to be a defeatist . . ."

"Dammit, Tonks, this isn't a joke."

Tonks sighed. "I know. Honestly, Harry, if you hadn't had that vision, you'd probably be right. But we've been warned. I think that we have a very good chance now."

"You really think I'm ready to face him?!? Because you know the Prophecy, Tonks. If he comes, it has to be me."

"I don't know if you're ready, Harry. But between Dumbledore, Ron, and Kingsley, they should be able to make us a tough enough target to make Voldemort call it off."

"Maybe. I did get the feeling that he wasn't ready for a full scale battle yet. But he desperately wants one of us dead."

"I understand that, Harry. But I need you to have faith in your friends. We'll get through this the way you always have. Together." She decided that it was time to change tactics. "Because that's the only way you'll get to start dating me."

Harry's first reaction was to hang his head in what looked like defeat. Then he looked at her, a small smile fighting with incredulity for control of his face. "You really mean that, don't you? I mean, I know what you said. But it just seems impossible to me that a woman like you would want to go out with me."

"Right. The first thing I'm going to have to do is work on your confidence." Tonks said, clearly beginning to get annoyed. "You've had three girlfriends that I know of. All of them pretty, and two of them good people. Why is this so difficult for you to accept?"

"Did you forget that all three of them approached me about it first? Or that the two "good people" are both younger than me? Or how the older one was only seeing me for a connection to her dead boyfriend? You, however, are older, intimidatingly beautiful, and probably have far more experience with guys than I do with girls."

Tonks found herself enjoying Harry's description of her until the last bit. "Hey! You think I'm some kind of . . . scarlet woman of something?"

"No, but considering the only time I got past kissing with ANY girl was by accident, it wouldn't be difficult."

Tonks had to fight her laughter at the memory of the event Harry was referring to. At the birthday party Molly had thrown him, Ginny dragged Harry out to dance to a fast song that she loved. Harry's two left feet got the better of both of them, landing them in a heap on the floor less than thirty seconds later. In the process of trying to break his fall, Harry's hand landed squarely on Ginny's breast. His extreme embarrassment and guilt were all that saved him from Molly's wrath. The twin's still tease Harry about it, but only when they know Ginny's not in the building.

"Really? That's the only time?" Tonks said, surprised. "I guess I'll just have to be your teacher, then."

"Is that why you want to date me? Pity?"

She nearly snapped at him, until she saw in his face that he was joking. Instead, she swatted his shoulder. "Feeling better I see?"

"A little. I'm still worried."

"You wouldn't be you if you weren't. I also know you don't convince that easily." She stood up. "Up with you."

"Why? What are you up to?"

She grabbed his hand and pulled him up. "I wanted to explain this in another way."

"What other . . ." This time, it was Harry's turn to be interrupted by a kiss. Only this time, she waited until he began to return the kiss. A moment later, she broke it. "I don't kiss just anybody like that, Harry. I'm serious about wanting us to start dating. Just accept it, alright?"

As the shock faded, Harry wore a look that Tonks realize she'd almost never seen on him before. He was happy. "I believe you. I just never expected you to be interested. It's going to take me a little while to get used to it."

"Anything I could do to speed that along?"

"I don't know. Depends on what you've got planned, Professor Tonks."

At first, she didn't understand why he'd called her that. She wasn't a professor, at Hogwarts or anywhere else. Then she remembered her earlier remark about being Harry's teacher about women. "All right. First, I'm going to teach you how to kiss a girl senseless. Then, if you figure that out fast enough, we'll move on to part one in the use of hands."

"I like the sound of . . ." Harry stopped in mid-sentence, and frowned. "Wait, fast enough? Did Dumbledore put us on a time limit?"

Tonks knew that the idea of being manipulated by Dumbledore was still a sore spot with Harry. "No, Harry. I was just playing along with YOUR professor joke." Then she smiled a soft smile that Harry hoped very much that she'd never again show anyone but him. "I was going to give both lessons anyway."

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"But Molly, you know as well as I that Harry loathes invasions of his privacy even more than being manipulated. While we might convince him that giving Nymphadora no limits with him is not the same as manipulation, asking Alastor to use his magical eye to check on him would be a blatant invasion of his privacy."

"I know, Albus. And I know what we told Tonks. But Dobby came here over an hour ago. You know how Harry is when he's depressed. And I can't recall ever seeing him quite this bad."

Dumbledore sighed. "And I have only seen him come close to this twice. But given what we now know is coming very soon, I do not believe it is wise for us to risk antagonizing him."

"Then I'll play the bad guy, Albus." Moody cut in. "I'll tell them it was part of a general sweep of the place when I arrived. I was thinking about doing one anyway, so it's not a lie."

"Would it do any good to tell you not to, Alastor?" Dumbledore asked.

"Only at wand point."

"Very well. But I must ask that you not linger."

Without further delay, Moody's eye began a very controlled rotation of the Manor, starting at ground level. He quickly cleared his throat. "Minerva, while I would suggest leaving them alone for now, the next time you see the Brown girl, have a discreet talk with her about contraceptive charms."

"What?" Professor McGonagall said at first, not expecting that. Then it hit her what he'd said. "Oh. Yes, of course."

"Way to go, Seamus!" Fred responded to the news.

"Behave, Fred." Molly snapped.

"Me? I'm not the one with Lavender."

Moody wasn't paying attention to them. He simply continued his sweep. When he arrived at the third floor study, he said "Found them." This was quickly followed by "Moving on" as his eye resumed its movement.

"Alastor Moody, what did you see?" Molly demanded.

"The boy's fine, Molly." Moody answered.

"Is that it, Moody?" Fred asked. "Or is Harry reading from Seamus's play book."

"Fred, I thought I told you to behave."

"Besides," Ginny cut in, "it's Harry you're talking about. He's so bashful with girls, you can barely get a kiss out of him unless you start it."

"Not that is any business of any of you," Moody interrupted sharply, "but it would seem that you're both wrong." The look on his face prevented any further comment or question from the younger group.

"Very well." Dumbledore said. "As I believe Kingsley, Ronald, Draco, and Dobby have the planning for defending Malfoy Manor well in hand, I suggest we begin making arrangements for bringing the obvious targets here. I am sure that will be work enough until Harry and Nymphadora return and give us a full list of those targeted."

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Note: That's the end of this story. As I said before, this story is NOT the start of a long, sprawling epic. It's just a "moment in time" fic. I do plan on writing a longer fic, which will include many of the events touched on here. However, that story will start at the end of fifth year, and full year-and-a-half before this story is set.

Consider this story is a sneak preview of my style and preferences.


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